1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to mailboxes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mailboxes are, of course, common and well-known. One problem that often occurs with mailboxes is easy access to mail during the time when the homeowners are gone. Put another way, mail continues to pile up in the mailbox and is not removed. This is mail highly susceptible to theft because of the easy accessibility by simply opening the box door. It is, of course, necessary that the box door be easily accessible for the mailman on a daily basis.
Thus, during periods of time when homeowners are gone, there is a substantial risk of security violations for mailboxes.
In the past there have been some attempts at development of more secure mailboxes which perform both the function of easy access for mail carriers, and at the same time provide some means for storage in a non-accessible box area. However, generally those that have been developed in the past are bulky, use complex mechanical elements that are susceptible to failure, and are in effect cost prohibitive for real world use.
Accordingly, there is a real and continuing need for the development of mailboxes having both easy access for mail carriers, and at the same time having secure areas that stored mail can be dumped to, while at the same time doing so with a minimum of mechanical parts and yet provide a cost-effective mailbox.
This invention has as its primary objective the fulfillment of this need.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a mailbox which uses a weighted mail signal arm which moves concomitally with a mail shelf from a mail rest position where the arm is up to a mail dump position where the arm is down and blocking access to the bottom of the box.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a mailbox with the above advantages which takes advantage of a weighted mail signal arm to move from a rest up position and when bumped off of the stop to a lower mail dump position.